JASPER BLOM

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Jasper Blom

Saxophonist and composer Jasper Blom (Geldrop, 2 June 1965) strives for a synthesis of more traditional forms of jazz with improvised music. From the beginning of his career he has been featured as a band leader and as a sideman in ensembles that bridge both genres, like the piano-less quintet ...Full biography

Biography Jasper Blom

Saxophonist and composer Jasper Blom (Geldrop, 2 June 1965) strives for a synthesis of more traditional forms of jazz with improvised music. From the beginning of his career he has been featured as a band leader and as a sideman in ensembles that bridge both genres, like the piano-less quintet Zut Alors! He experiments with electronics in Red, Yellow & Blue Extended, and also in his Quartet, where he frequently treats his saxophone sound with effects equipment. In addition to these groups, for which he writes (extensive) compositions, he practices free improvisation in a trio with bassist Arnold Dooyeweerd and drummer Flin van Hemmen. He is also a regular replacement in both the Metropole Orchestra and guitarist Corrie van Binsbergen's formation Corrie en de Brokken.

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1989

Jasper Blom graduates cum laude from the Rotterdam Conservatory and leaves for New York for six months, to study with saxophonist Dave Liebman and trombonist-composer Bob Brookmeyer. He also receives lessons from the saxophonists Joe Lovano and Greg Osby.

1990

On his return from New York he starts the piano-less quintet Zut Alors! With its three wind players (besides Blom trumpeter Angelo Verploegen and saxophonist and clarinetist Michael Moore) the line-up offers him options to make arrangements. At the same time there is a lot of freedom in the band because of its lack of a chordal instrument In the series of documentaries the NOS broadcasting company airs on the history of Dutch jazz Zut Alors! can be seen and heard. Blom releases the band's debut recording, Pie Dough, himself.

1993

Five Up High is the name of a new jazz quintet featuring the cream of the crop of a new generation of musicians. Together with drummer Joost Patocka Blom is the initiator and main composer of the group, consisting of alto saxophonist Benjamin Herman, pianist Juraj Stanik and bassist Marius Beets. Their first eponymous CD is released by Timeless Records in 1994. A follow-up, The Deep, is produced in 1997. On this album saxophonist Carolyn Breuer replaces Herman, who is too busy with other projects. Pianist Jeremy Manasia and bassist Johan Plomp make up the rest of the line-up of Five Up High's second edition.

1999

On the occasion of his sixtieth birthday drummer Pierre Courbois organizes a double quintet. For this he extends his regular quintet with five reed players, including Jasper Blom. The specially written and arranged compositions by Courbois premiere at the Amsterdam Klap op de Vuurpijl festival in December 1999. The recordings made by the NPS broadcasting company are released on CD: Unsquare Roots. In the same year Jasper Blom has a musical encounter with two Americans (pianist David Berkman and drummer Matt Wilson) and a Frenchman (bassist Eric Surmenian). The collaboration is so fruitful that a CD is recorded right away. The quartet, which adopts the name Dialect, tours for a while.

2001

De Stichting Jazz in Utrecht (Utrecht Jazz Foundation) commissions a composition by Jasper Blom. It results in a piece about colors, entitled Red, Yellow & Blue Extended. It is written for a trio, featuring bassist Frans van der Hoeven and drummer Martijn Vink. Later Blom adds pianist Achim Kaufmann, guitarist Anton Goudsmit, singer Ineke van Doorn and bassist Jeroen Vierdag to the ensemble. New compositions are performed at the 2004 North Sea Jazz Festival by the group, extended with three reed players (David Kweksilber, Maarten Ornstein and Tobias Klein, all playing saxophones as well as clarinet and bass clarinet) and Wouter Snoei on live electronics. A special guest is the Norwegian guitarist Eivind Aarset.

2003

When Pierre Courbois reshuffles his quintet into a sextet with which he plays compositions in 5/4 time exclusively, he asks Jasper Blom to join on a regular basis. Four years later this later 5/4 Sextet produces its first CD: Révocation (Live at the Bimhuis).

2004

Together with bassist Arnold Dooyeweerd and drummer Flin van Hemmen Jasper Blom starts a nameless trio dedicated to free improvisation. The group makes its debut during closing night at the old Bimhuis in Amsterdam. Because Van Hemmen relocates to the States permanently, Michael Vatcher later takes his place.

2005

2006

Blom asks guitarist Jesse van Ruller for his new quartet, which premieres at the Rotterdam Jazz International Festival. Frans van der Hoeven and Martijn Vink have been his regular partners on bass and drums for a number of years; they form this group's backbone, too. In 2007 the band's debut CD, Statue of Liberty, is released by Mainland Records. Particularly striking are the electronic effects Blom uses to subtly alter his saxophone sound occasionally. Trumpeter Gijs Levelt, flutist Ned McGowan and reed player Tobias Klein are the initiators of a new medium-sized band, the Spinifex Orchestra. Jasper Blom and trombonist Joost Buis complete the wind section of the group, which also features guitarist Raphael Vanoli, accordionist Theo van Tol, bassist Sean Fasciani and drummer Uli Genenger. Triodia is the title of their first CD in 2008.

2008

Looking for new starting points for improvisation Jasper Blom starts the ensemble A l'Improviste. It focuses on the music of the French composer Claude Debussy. Together with saxophonist Joris Roelofs, pianist Kris Goessens, bassist Clemens van der Feen and drummer Joost Lijbaart he proves that this does not have to lead to sweet music without a bite.

In the discography you will find all recordings that have been released listed chronologically. We restrict ourselves to the title, the type of audio, year of publication or recording, label, list of guest musicians, plus any comments on the issue.